Zack Bruns walked into the coaches office and asked for the game ball.

Havelock’s senior certainly deserved it.

Bruns scored his 1,000th career varsity point in the Rams’ 62-59 victory over South Central Tuesday in Havelock.

“It feels great, but I couldn’t have done it without my teammates,” Bruns said. “It was a big achievement.”

Bruns, a three-year varsity player, became Havelock’s first 1,000-point scorer in more than 10 years. Jason Deane eclipsed the milestone in 2002.

Entering the game, Bruns needed just 13 points.

“This is a dream come true. It’s just amazing. I was trying not to let it get to me, and it was trying to play team ball, but I was getting frustrated and forced some shots,” he said.

Bruns accomplished the feat with four seconds remaining on a free throw that gave Havelock a 61-59 lead. His second free throw put the Rams up 62-59. South Central missed on a desperation 3-pointer at the buzzer, and Havelock (12-7, 9-2 Coastal) moved into second place in the Coastal Conference.

David Carter gave Havelock a one-point advantage with a bucket with 35 seconds left. After South Central turned the ball over, Carter chased down a loose ball after a missed shot.

Bruns was then fouled and closed the game out.

Havelock went into halftime with a 27-25 lead, but outscored South Central (11-7, 7-2), 19-14, in the third quarter.

The Falcons rallied to take a 51-48 lead in the fourth quarter. Havelock’s Pharoh Cooper responded with back-to-back buckets, and Bruns made two free throws to hand the Rams a 54-51 edge.

South Central knotted the score at 54-54 following a 3-pointer from Saleik Edwards.

“I knew what I had to do, and I knew that I had to work with my teammates,” Dyer said. “If the shot was there, I took it.”

The Rams (10-8, 6-5 Coastal) lost to South Central (18-3, 9-2) 57-43 earlier in the season, but the victory Tuesday keeps the Rams squarely in the hunt for one of five league playoff spots and gives them a crucial tiebreaker edge.

Havelock rushed out to a 21-12 lead after one quarter, but fell behind by a point at halftime. The Rams outscored the Falcons 27-19 in the second half.

South Central got within five points with two minutes remaining. Fleming then converted two free throws and Dyer added a basket with 55 seconds left.

South Central scored the next four points, but Dyer iced Havelock’s victory with two free throws with four seconds to go.